The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-05-11
SEWING RAG CARPETS.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

1t was small, unpainted house, stained
an indescribable hue by the suns and rains
OF half a century, row of stiff, Lombar-
dy poplars in front, and beneath the win
dows, IN narrow bed. outlined by strips
ot board, blossomed four o'clocks, youth
and old age" and gaudy African mari
colds, which seemed to hold up their or
ange torches with distinctly defiant air.
Green paper shades yelled the windows.
and knOcker, with an eagles head.
hung In the upper centre of the door.
Every one has seen such houses along
the country roads where the Queen Anne
craze has not yet penetrated, and orchids
and japanese foliage plants are un-
known.
Miss Fossett and her niece, Mary Ann,
sat in the little front room sewing rags
for carpet. A bright wood fire cracked
and snapped in the air-tight stove, for al
though the sun shone bright on the Afri-
can marigolds and four-o'clocks. there
was keen wind blowing, and the dead
leaves were carried in all directions. The
cat was asleep among the balls of rags
which made parti-colored mountain in
one corner of the room, and the wooden
clock ticked shrilly on the shelf alongside
of case of dried butterflies and a plaster
of paris parrot with broken beak.
Miss Fossett was elderly and spare,
with false 'front, which did not in the
least match her back hair, and spectacles.
Mary Ann was slight and gracefully
rounded, with dark, solemn eyes, and lips
redder than wild raspberries
To Miss Fossett everything in the world
was subsidiary, just at present, to the fin
ishing of the carpet sewing To Mary
Ann there was nothing in all the universe
which was actually impossible There is
just this difference between sixty and six
teen.
II was a-calculatin'," Miss Fossett
droned on, as she drew the swift needle
in and out, ''to get this one carpet wove
afore snowfall, but l guess it'll be a
close shave now. l didn't know, if
could get my spare chamber carpeted,
but that the school-ma am might come
here to board; and three dollars u week
Is three dollars week in these times"
"Yes, know, aunty, said Mary Ann /;
''and why shouldn't she come? We shall
soon have the carpet ready for the loom,
and, In the meantime, why shouldn't she
be satisfied with rug or two laid down
by the bed and in front of the bureauP
Haven't you heerd ~ said Miss Fossett,
STOPPING to regain her spool of linen
thread, which had rolled away under the
cats snug resting place. The school
ma'am's going to be married, and the new
teacher-Eliab Ray-he boards to hum.
don't b'lieve he'll get along better than
Miss Marston did, if he is man-teacher. -
Mary AIMS eyes lighted up.
''To be married2" said she.
eyes, " nodded Miss Fossett.
''Who is she going to marry, Aunt
Fossett2n
"our next neighbor," said Miss Fos-
sett, grimly.
''Mr. Fairweatherln
''Yes, Mr.. Fairweather. 1t beats all "
| Miss Fossett added-''to think YOU
shouldn't heerd it afore now Why,
dress from Bridgeport, and store hat,
| trimmed with stuffed birds and real
brochay shawl Must ha' laid up a sight
o'money, l should s'pose."
Mary Ann was silent. 1t was question
whether or not she heard the stream OF
idle chatter that flowed uninterruptedly
/ from her aunts lips.
For herself shS sewed away, and uttered
never word.
John Fairweather to be married tC
Aida Marston The news had fallen like
a thunderbOlt into the peaceful serenity
of her heart
In novels she had read, many time
and oft, of the duplicity of man, but tn,
fact had never come so near home before
The two women sewed diligently at thu
carpet-rags until dust Miss Fossett haC
no idea that any one could desire res
from so delightful an occupation, anC
Mary Ann scarcely knew what she wa
doing. A sort of stupOr seemed TO numi
! her senses.
"Guess we'd better stop a spell now,
said the old lady just you run out L
the well aud I'LL the tea kettle, and I'll Sc
out the apple-sass and doughnuts and ri
biscuits. We won't hev 40 regular meal
being there's such a hurry with tn
rags.
| Mary Ann stuck her needle into 0D